The present invention particularly relates to a machine used in the opthalmic profession for the fitting and/or glazing of lenses in eyeglass frames. These frames made of thermoplastic materials must be properly warmed to soften them to allow insertion of the lenses or to bend and form them to fit the face and head of the user. The warming of frames has been accomplished in many ways, such as by hot plates, hot air blowers, and infrared lamps, but none of these means were satisfactory regarding temperature and many times burned the plastic since they did not have temperature controlled heat and lacked adjustable holding means for support of the frames.
Therefore a prime object of this invention is to provide new and novel means for holding objects such as thermoplastic eyeglass frames in proper and precise position for proper exposure to heat for the softening of the whole portion or a smaller part of that portion.
More specifically it is an object of this invention to provide at least one pair of manipulatable supports movable in more than one plane to support the eyeglass frames in whatever position the operator chooses, for exposure to a heater.
Another object of the invention is to provide an additional pair of supports or a single support more removed from the heater to stabilize the position of the eyeglass frame while being held by the other supports.
A further object of the invention is to provide the additional support or supports with adjustment capability in at least one plane.
A still further object of this invention is to provide a pair of supports having universal adjustability as well as combined lineal movement.
Another object of this invention is the use of a larger and a smaller radiator, the larger for radiation of the outside of the eyeglass frame while the smaller radiates the inside of the frame.
Another object of this invention is to use a smaller and a larger radiator for the purpose of accommodating the smallest and the largest sizes of eyeglass frames.
Still another object of this invention is to provide the smaller radiator with lenticulated ends, or convex ends to project the infrared radiation of these ends out to the extremity of the larger radiator to match the extent of its radiation.
Another object is to provide both radiators with ends formed to diverge or extend the radiation from each of their four ends.
Another object is to provide a larger radiator with concave surfaces and a smaller radiator with convex surfaces, for receiving larger or smaller articles or for reception of curved or rounded frames.